Google and several other partners have clubbed together with the aim of giving away 100,000 free .co.uk web addresses to small business in the UK.

Running under the slogan "Getting British business online", the initiative is a partnership that includes the backing of Google, BT, Enterprise UK, e-skills UK and PayPal. Google will be providing registration services and hosting via its Google Apps platform and BT will offer business free advice and phone support to help them create their online prescence. PayPal will enable businesses to turn their site into an ecommerce platform in the coming months.

Google hopes that free, easy to use websites will give UK businesses the boost they need. "With over 40 million people in the UK now online there has never been a better time for small businesses to use the Internet, enabling them to reach new customers in new markets," said Matt Brittin, UK managing director, Google.